What are your plans for the summer? This is a loaded question for most college students. Internship applications, networking, job searches. There's a lot of pressure to show that you're thriving. This past spring, when a friend asked me that question, I took a deep breath. I said, "This summer, I'll be in the hospital having someone drill into my skull. " I wasn't waiting to hear back about internship applications. I knew exactly what my plans were. 3 days after my last final, I was going into the O for bra ...

Professor Contras, I want to thrive in mathematics. What should I do. When students ask me that question, I have to tell them the cold hard truth.When it comes to thriving in mathematics, there is no perfect formula. And I guess I could stop here and break the world record for the shortest TED talk in history. But don't worry, I'll I'll keep talking.We have a thriving math department here at Ammeris College. More than 270 math majors, over 1,500 student enrollments just last year. Our math graduates are doi ...

I was on a short zipline between two coconut trees. There were no safety helmets or safety harnesses. This was your homemade type adventure.I held on tight to the rope and I was off gaining speed as I went down the incline. At some point, I realized I wasn't going to be slowing down before the pulley hit the spring that stopped it right in front of a coconut tree. I had one of those moments where your thoughts are racing, but also in slow motion as I wondered what was going to happen and then decided it mus ...

A lone wolf’s goal is survival.A pack’s goal is to thrive. ...

Core Argument - The speech argues that modern society's emphasis on education, employment, and financial wealth as pillars of survival has led to an "algorithmic lifestyle" that prioritizes external validation over inner well-being [6][7][8][9][10] - It suggests that this over-prioritization keeps individuals fixated on the lower tiers of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, hindering self-actualization [10][11] - The speaker proposes pausing from the pursuit of survival to reflect on behaviors and perceptions, ultimately reclaiming the essence of a human life beyond mere survival [21][22] Psychological and Behavioral Analysis - The speech highlights how the reward system, designed for survival, now reinforces the chase for external validation through dopamine release, creating a cycle of seeking momentary pleasure [12][13][14] - It suggests that reliance on external validation leads to a state of constant "fight or flight," fracturing attention and minds, and making inner well-being dependent on external situations [18][19] - The speaker questions whether individuals are craving external validation for growth or merely for relief, filling a gap within themselves [15][16] Societal Impact - The speech contends that societies have shaped the perception of a successful life through standards and expectations, leading to a collective script focused on the pillars of modern survival [6][7] - It argues that these pillars, initially meant for survival, are becoming markers of identity, with education becoming the pressure to perform, employment defining worth, and financial wealth dictating success [8][9] - The speaker implies that this societal conditioning has resulted in individuals unconsciously enslaving themselves to external factors, losing personal responsibility for their inner well-being [20]